The purpose of this study was to characterize and examine the social context of elementary students' interactions with science through their discourse. The influences of gender and culture on students' science conversations were studied in a semi-structured, student-run, whole class conversational format. Findings indicate that the discussion…

One of the major goals of science reform today is that of scientific literacy for all students. In recent years there has been an increased awareness of the need to incorporate science firmly throughout the elementary curriculum to insure that this goal of scientific literacy is met. This book offers a new vision for preparing prospective teachers…

This document presents sources to assist elementary and secondary school students and teachers in planning, preparing, and executing projects in the space sciences. Bibliographies for the following sections are included: (1) Basic Texts, (2) Specialized Texts, (3) Classroom Experiments and Activities, (4) Background Readings, (5) Related Titles,…

A model of the teaching-learning environment, based on cognitive-constructivist theories of learning, is presented. The model consists of three dimensions. Dimension One (Opportunity for Constructivist Activity) represents the proportion of teaching-learning activity that is directed to encouraging self-reflection, mobilization of individual…

This document on meteorology is one of a four-volume series of Project Earth Science that includes exemplary hands-on science and reading materials for use in the classroom. This book is divided into three sections: activities, readings, and appendix. The activities are constructed around three basic concept divisions. First, students investigate…

This book shows how physics relates to daily life. Chapters included are: (1) "Physics of Fun" (dealing with the concepts of friction, Bernoulli's principle, lift, buoyancy, adhesion, cohesion, surface tension, gas expansion, waves, light, mirror images, and solar cells); (2) "Physics of Nature" (illustrating the concepts of inertia, static…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: In this day and age of budget problems, school districts are cutting back on many programs, one of which is field trips. Why worry? There must be dozens of trips that can be made on the playground of your school. Let's look into activities that can be accomplished there. SOIL STUDIES: Have you ever…

This booklet provides a brief discussion of the anatomy and biology of rays in the Chesapeake Bay and a key to their identification. Descriptions of seven types of rays are also provided (with accompanying illustrations). These include electric rays, stingrays, butterfly rays, eagle rays, cownose rays, and manta rays. (JN)

Introduces six evaluation instruments which measure student opinion of classroom climate. Provides examples of their uses, along with comments of teachers who have used the instruments. (CP)

Describes activities for the elementary school classroom to increase observational accuracy of children. (CP)

Analysis of teacher questionnaires sent to all public elementary schools in the Mideast, New England, and Southwest regions of the United States showed that an adequate budget for supplies and equipment may not be sufficient to get the teachers to use innovative teaching techniques; inservice training appears to be necessary. (MLH)

Describes an educational TV series, broadcast in Pennsylvania, called Science for the Seventies (SFTS), which presents science lessons for the elementary level. Each lesson consists of objectives, background information, an equipment list, and four or five related science activities. (MLH)

The treatment group of first-graders received audio-tutorial instruction in the particulate nature of matter; the control group received audio-tutorial instruction in a nonscience subject. The treatment group used a particulate model to explain the nature of smells much more effectively than the control group. (MLH)

Describes an elementary school project utilizing colonial objects, activities and questioning techniques to teach social studies. (LS)